GPS World, December 2017

For initiating and leading the African GNSS Outreach program since 2009 to help developing countries derive social and economic benefits from satellite based PNT DECEMBER 2017 WWW GPSWORLD COM GPS WORLD 41 I would like to thank GPS World for this Leadership Services Award I am sincerely honored and humbled by this recognition Serving the GNSS community with the African Outreach Program has been a joy and a privilege that I am personally grateful for every day This program began in 2009 The idea was conceived at a G8 UNESCO World Forum that I was fortunate to attend in 2007 At that forum leaders from developing nations of Africa described the need for assistance in developing science and technology in their countries technologies that would lead the way to socio economic transformation and integration into the world economy As all of us here know GNSS is a space technology that can change the world with applications that can increase food security monitor natural resources manage wildlife conservation improve emergency location services and provide greater precision and safety in land sea and air navigation just to name a few of the possibilities Thus the goal of the African Outreach Program was to encourage the use of GNSS for societal and economic development and for scientific exploration in Africa The way to do that was to help build a knowledgeable African GNSS workforce I am glad to report that the program has been quite successful To date we have hosted 9 workshops In those workshops we have introduced the art and science of GNSS navigation to over 450 professors and students from at least 23 of the 54 countries in Africa Many of the African participants have gone on to do great things hosting local workshops developing GNSS programs in their universities gaining government confidence and interest in GNSS technology and building infrastructure that enabled the use of GNSS One of the prime reasons for this success are the sponsors who support us and the lecturers who generously share their time their knowledge and their zeal for GNSS to teach at the workshops Many of these lecturers are here tonight So thank you all Many of these lecturers have expressed that their lives were enriched by this program Others have told me that they have never seen a more attentive audience and that just having the opportunity to meet and work with people from the developing world in Africa is a gratifying experience Several of our lecturers including myself are now involved in collaborations with scientists in the developing world MORE TO COME Although this sounds like we have done our job there is still so much to do Change is slow in Africa Our plans for the future include building on our success by hosting additional workshops where we will try to reach additional countries in Africa and strengthen current programs and infrastructure in countries where that has been slow to develop We are also opening the program to other developing countries around the world as there has been much interest from Central America South America and Asia Finally we are working to bring more workshops to the African continent where we can reach more students have an effect on local universities and speak to the local government about the benefits of using GNSS as an enabling technology for societal betterment and economic growth In closing I am honored to receive this award and I look forward to continuing our work to support the use of GNSS in developing nations Thank you GPS World and thank you to our sponsors lecturers and our African participants for making this program a success SERVICES LEADERSHIP AWARD GLOBAL EDUCATOR Patricia Doherty Director and Senior Scientist Institute for Scientific Research Boston College Frank van Diggelen left above an African Outreach faculty member and principal software engineer Google introduced and conferred the award to Pat Doherty